South Korea has opened fire on a North Korean patrol boat just a day after Pyongyang draws widespread condemnation by launching a long-range missile.

According to South Korea's Defense Ministry, the incident happened while the boat was sailing on the two countries' disputed boundary line in the Yellow Sea on Monday.

The boat retreated after five warning shots were fired into waters surrounding it.

Navel skirmishes are not unusual between the two rivals along the line which the North has disputed since it was unilaterally determined by the United Nations following the 1950-53 Korean War.

North Korea successfully launched a rocket on Sunday, saying that it carried a satellite into space. The West and some regional countries say such launches are in fact ballistic missile tests.

By Press TV